THE OPENING TIP
Michigan State opens Big Ten play on the road at Penn State as the Spartans are playing on New Year's Eve for the fourth straight season, including the third straight year on the road. MSU is the preseason pick to win the Big Ten title, but is facing an improved PSU squad featuring a dynamic backcourt.

THE STARTING FIVE1. Renewed Defensive Commitment
Following Michigan State's loss to North Carolina, Coach Izzo took the blame on himself, feeling he overreacted to some of the new rules designed to limit physical play and increase scoring, and vowed to correct that. In the four games since the loss, MSU is holding its opponents to 59.2 points and a .343 field-goal percentage, including .263 from 3-point range. In a related stat regarding MSU's return to basics, the Spartans own a +12.3 rebounding margin over the last four games. During this stretch, MSU played two games away from home, including at Texas.

2. Big Ten Openers
In its 63 seasons playing basketball in the Big Ten Conference, Michigan State has compiled a 29-34 record in Big Ten openers. Tom Izzo is 11-7 in Big Ten openers, including 4-7 on the road. This is the eighth time in the last 11 seasons that MSU has opened conference play on the road. MSU is opening conference play against Penn State for the first time since 2005, when the Spartans opened with an 84-58 win in University Park.

3. Big Ten Success
Michigan State has captured at least a share of the Big Ten Championship in three of the last five seasons. After winning the title outright in 2009, the Spartans shared the conference crown in 2010 and 2012. In 2012, MSU also added a Big Ten Tournament title to its resume. During Tom Izzo's tenure, the Spartans have won seven regular-season titles and three tournament crowns.

4. Big Ten Success, Part II
Michigan State has won 13 Big Ten Championships, including three of the last five, since joining the league prior to the 1950-51 season. The Spartans' first ever league game was at Northwestern, where MSU claimed a 67-62 victory on Jan. 6, 1951. All-time, MSU is 567-455 (.555) in league play, including 209-95 (.688) under Tom Izzo, who ranks sixth in league history with 209 conference wins. Izzo has guided MSU to seven of its 13 league crowns. Since Izzo's first season (1995-96), MSU has a Big Ten-best record of 209-95, 17 games better than second-place Wisconsin (192-112).

5. Izzo Moves Up Big Ten Coaching List
With his next conference win, Tom Izzo will tie Indiana's Branch McCracken for fifth place on the career Big Ten victories list with 210. It's likely that Izzo will rank fourth by the end of the season, moving past Illinois' Lou Henson (214 wins). Indiana's Bob Knight is the all-time leader with 353 Big Ten wins.

MSU VS. PENN STATE NOTESSeries History
Michigan State leads the all-time series with Penn State, 31-7, including a 12-4 advantage in University Park. The Spartans have won 15 of the last 19 games in the series. Tom Izzo is 24-6 in his career against Penn State.

Coach Chambers
Patrick Chambers (Philadelphia University, '94) is 73-73 in his fifth season as a collegiate head coach, including 31-45 in his third season at Penn State. Before his arrival in University Park, Chambers spent two seasons at Boston University, making the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

The Last Meeting
Michigan State defeated Penn State, 81-72, on Jan. 16, 2013, in University Park. The Spartans hit 5-of-12 3-pointers in the first half, holding a 29-25 halftime lead, as Branden Dawson and Adreian Payne did not play in the first half for disciplinary reasons. In the second half, PSU claimed a 36-35 lead. A few minutes later, Payne went on a personal 8-0 run, turning a 46-44 lead into a 10-point advantage. Michigan State led by as many as 16 points later in the half. Penn State responded with a 12-1 run to pull back within five points at 71-66 with 2:06 remaining. The Spartans put the game away by hitting 8-of-10 free throws in the game's final 1:13. Payne finished with a team-high 20 points and seven rebounds in 17 minutes. Jermaine Marshall led all scorers with 29 points for PSU, while D.J. Newbill added 27.

Nittany Lion Notes
D.J. Newbill leads the Big Ten in scoring (18.9 ppg), while teammate Tim Frazier ranks fourth in scoring (18.2 ppg) and leads the conference in assists (7.5 apg) by a wide margin - 2.5 assists more than second-place Keith Appling (5.0 apg) ... Ross Travis ranks third in the Big Ten in rebounding (8.4 rpg) ... Four Nittany Lions who have played in more than one game are averaging double figures in scoring ... Penn State has used the same starting lineup for all 13 games.

GM. 12 RECAP  MICHIGAN ST. 101 - NEW ORLEANS 48
Michigan State was sluggish early and trailed 10-9 eight minutes into the contest. A 12-0 run over the next three minutes, including four points from Alex Gauna and two 3-pointers from Gary Harris gave MSU a 21-10 lead. Leading 28-21 with 6:01 left in the first half, the Spartans took firm control of the contest with another 12-0 run. After that, MSU's lead never dipped below 16 points. A dominating second half for MSU included a 21-0 run late in the stanza.

MSU VS. NEW ORLEANS NOTES
* Tom Izzo recorded his 450th win as Michigan State's coach.
* Michigan State's 53-point margin of victory was its largest of the season, and its largest since a 58-point win (118-60) over Alcorn State on Dec. 13, 2008. It was also the fifth-largest margin of victory in Breslin Center history.
* For the first time on the season, MSU had more offensive rebounds (18) than its opponent had defensive boards (17).
* MSU's +23 rebound margin was its second largest margin of the season.
* Denzel Valentine recorded his second career double-double, and his first of the season with 10 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.
* Keith Appling matched his career high with 27 points, adding a season-high matching eight assists.
* Gary Harris narrowly missed a double-double with 19 points and nine rebounds, adding a career-best five steals.
* MSU held a 29-6 edge in points off turnovers, and a 25-10 edge in second-chance points.
* MSU connected on a season-best 52.0 percent (13-25) from 3-point range, marking the fourth game this season with 10 or more made 3-pointers.
* MSU's 57-point second half was its highest scoring half of the season.
* MSU had two 12-0 runs and one 21-0 spurt in the contest.

MSU BASKETBALL NOTESSpartans On New Year's Eve
Michigan State is 6-5 all-time on New Year's Eve, including 3-3 on the road, and 3-1 in Big Ten action. This is the fourth straight season that MSU will play on Dec. 31, and the fifth in the last six seasons.

Rotating Starting Lineup
Michigan State has used six different starting lineups in the last seven games. Although currently fairly healthy, a large part of the past rotating door has been the various injuries/illnesses to strike the Spartans. Most notably, Gary Harris missed three games (Mount St. Mary's, Oakland, North Florida) in a four-game stretch with an ankle injury and also did not start at Texas. However, he's averaging 19.0 points in his last two games. Also of note, Matt Costello started six of the first eight games of the season, but has missed the last four with mononucleosis. Branden Dawson sat out the last game vs. New Orleans with a shin bruise and Travis Trice missed the North Florida game with foot blisters. In addition, Adreian Payne (plantar fasciitis) and Keith Appling (hip pointer) missed significant amounts of practice in early/mid December.

Spartans Hit The Mark
Michigan State leads the Big Ten in field-goal percentage at .491. The Spartans have shot 50 percent or better in seven games, including a season-high .631 against Mount St. Mary's. Against North Florida, MSU shot 70.8 percent in the first half. MSU has shot better than its opponent in all but one game this season.

Lending A Helping Hand
Michigan State is averaging 19.5 assists on the season, pacing the Big Ten and ranking second in the nation. With 234 assists on 366 made field goals, the Spartans are recording an assist on 63.9 percent of their baskets. MSU ranks second in the Big Ten and 10th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.7) (NCAA stats through Dec. 22). Keith Appling is second in the conference in assists (5.0 apg) and fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.6). Five Spartans average two or more assists as Denzel Valentine (3.8 apg), Gary Harris (3.2 apg), Travis Trice (2.5 apg), and Branden Dawson (2.5 apg) join Appling.

Taking Care Of The Ball
Admittedly it is early, but Michigan State is on pace to shatter the mark for fewest turnovers during the Tom Izzo era. MSU is currently averaging 11.4 turnovers. The previous low during the Izzo era was 13.0 in 2011-12.

Payne From Deep
Through the first 87 games of his career, Adreian Payne shot just 1-of-4 from 3-point range. Over the last 32 games, he is 32-of-76 (.421), averaging one made 3-pointer per contest. On eight occasions, including five times this season, he's made more than one in a game.

Guard Rebounds
For the Spartans to maintain their reputation as a strong rebounding team, they will need a strong effort from their guards. In fact, three of MSU's four leading rebounders play on the perimeter. Branden Dawson is averaging a team-best 9.3 rebounds, ranking second in the Big Ten, from the wing. Denzel Valentine (5.4 rpg) ranks third on the team, while Gary Harris (4.6 rpg) ranks fourth. Over the last two games, Valentine is averaging 12.0 boards. In fact, in the last contest, MSU's starting backcourt of Valentine, Harris and Keith Appling combined for 27 rebounds.

Outside Shooting
Michigan State is shooting .382 from 3-point range (94-of-246), ranking third in the Big Ten. Four Spartans (Keith Appling-21, Gary Harris-21, Travis Trice-17, Adreian Payne-16) each average more than one made 3-pointer per game. Individually, Appling leads the conference in 3-point field-goal percentage (.477), while Payne ranks third (.457) and Trice ranks sixth (.436). The Spartans have made 10 or more 3-pointers in four games, after doing it just once last season. Last season, the Spartans shot .338 from 3-point range, hitting 177-of-523. The 2003-04 squad was the best shooting team of the Tom Izzo era, shooting .401, while the 1989-90 squad shot a school-record .431.

On The Run
Michigan State is eager to get out in transition this season, even more so than normal. Speaking at MSU's annual media day, Izzo told the assembled media "I think we should be a team that can run, run, run and run." Through 12 games, MSU is averaging 83.7 points per game, ranking second in the Big Ten, including 17.9 points in transition. This includes a dominating 21-2 edge in fast break points against Kentucky.

Spartans At The Charity Stripe
Michigan State is shooting .698 from the foul line this season. The three Spartans that attempt the most free throws (Appling-60 attempts, .733; Payne-56 attempts, .821; Harris-40 attempts, .900) are each shooting better than 73 percent from the foul line. In fact, the three are shooting a combined .808 from the foul line.

Playing The Best
Since the 1997-98 season, the year of MSU's first of 16 straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, the Spartans have played 177 games against ranked opponents. That total ranks first among teams that have appeared in a Final Four since then. The Spartans are followed by North Carolina (162), Kentucky (155), Duke (154), and Connecticut (143).

Super SubsTravis Trice and Denzel Valentine are not normally in the starting lineup, but in the eyes of Coach Izzo, they might as well be. Izzo has regularly referred to the duo as "super subs." Valentine ranks fifth on the team in scoring (7.4 ppg) and minutes (26.1 mpg), while Trice ranks sixth in scoring (7.4 ppg) and minutes (21.4 mpg). Valentine (3.8 apg) is second in assist average, while Trice (2.5 apg) is tied for fourth.

Payne's Senior Season
After opting to bypass the NBA Draft and return to Michigan State, Adreian Payne is determined to make the most of his senior season. A preseason first-team All-American as selected by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, and one of 15 players on the watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, Payne leads the team in scoring (18.0 ppg) and ranks second in rebounding (7.9 rpg). He's posted a double-double in four games this season and 10 of the last 23 dating back to last season. Against Texas, he scored a career-high 33 points. He ranks fifth in the Big Ten in both scoring and rebounding. He's captured Big Ten Player of the Week honors twice this season (Nov. 18 and Dec. 23).

Appling Runs The Team
Senior Keith Appling is in his third season as Michigan State's starting point guard, gaining more confidence each season. He's finished in the Top 10 in the Big Ten in assists in each of the last two seasons, but he spoke this offseason about becoming better at running his team, gaining praise from Coach Izzo for his development. He's averaging a career-best 5.0 assists per game and owns a 2.6 assist-to-turnover ratio. In a win over No. 1 Kentucky, Appling dished out eight assists, in addition to his 22 points and eight rebounds. Coach Izzo described Appling's 25-point, seven-assist effort vs. Portland "one of the greatest point guard performances in many, many, many years when you look at what he shot and the decisions he made. He did just an unbelievable job defensively ... He was worth the price of admission." He paced MSU with a career-high 27 points vs. Oklahoma, earning Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic MVP honors. He scored a team-high 21 points vs. Oakland, including 18 points in the second half. Most recently, he matched his career high with 27 points against New Orleans, adding eight assists.

Spartan Spurtability
MSU's dynamic offense has shown the ability to score points in bunches. During the Coaches Vs. Cancer Classic in Brooklyn, the Spartans closed the first half on both games with large runs. Against Virginia Tech, MSU had a 15-3 run over the final 4:18. The next day, MSU closed the Oklahoma first half on a 34-9 run over the final 10:38, including a 13-0 spurt over the final 4:36. MSU has also shown the ability to start with a burst, opening the Kentucky game with a 10-0 run, and a 9-0 run vs. Columbia. MSU used a 19-2 run over two halves to put Mount St. Mary's away. Against North Florida, MSU opened the contest with a 21-4 spurt, that included an 11-0 run. A 14-2 run midway through the second half turned a two point deficit against Texas into a 10-point lead. In a 53-point win over New Orleans, the Spartans posted a 21-0 second-half run, along with two 12-0 first-half spurts.

An Efficient Harris
Following a season that saw him earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, Gary Harris is looking for an even better season as a sophomore. After opting to return to Michigan State for his sophomore season rather than enter the NBA Draft, Harris enters 2013-14 as the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year honoree and a popular pick for preseason All-America accolades. He opened the season by recording his first career double-double with 20 points, a career-high 10 rebounds and dishing out a career-high six assists. He followed that effort with another 20-point contest against No. 1 Kentucky. He ranks second on the team in scoring, averaging 17.9 points per contest, scoring 20 or more points in three of his nine games. He missed three games (Mount St. Mary's, Oakland and North Florida) while resting an injured ankle, but is averaging 19.0 points in two games since his return.

Spartan Defense
Michigan State has held opponents below 40 percent shooting for the year in each of the last two seasons, limiting opponents to .390 FG% last year (ranking 22nd in the nation) and .379 FG% in 2011-12 (ranking second in the nation). It's the first time the Spartans have held opponents below 40 percent in back-to-back seasons since MSU did it three straight seasons from 1999-2000 to 2001-02. MSU's first 12 opponents are shooting .376 from the floor, ranking third in the Big Ten, including .301 from 3-point range.

Dawson's Energy On Display Branden Dawson didn't miss a game last season despite tearing his ACL at the end of his freshman year, and yet he wasn't functioning at 100 percent. Early indications in 2013-14 are that Dawson is a much more active player, exhibiting the rare combination of strength and athleticism that rank him among the Big Ten's elite. He is currently averaging a team-best 9.3 rebounds, ranking second in the Big Ten and leading the team in eight of 11 games in which he's played, and 10.3 points. His tip-in with five seconds remaining sealed the win over No. 1 Kentucky. Dawson leads the team with five double-doubles. He also ranks third in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage (.595)

Nation's Best Backcourt
With Keith Appling, Gary Harris and Branden Dawson in the starting lineup and Travis Trice and Denzel Valentine coming off the bench, Michigan State stakes a strong claim for having the nation's best backcourt. All five rank among MSU's top six in scoring, while Appling, Harris, Dawson and Trice have each scored 20 or more points at least once during their career. Not only are they dynamic offensively, they also can provide lockdown defense.

It's All About Boardwork
Michigan State has led the nation in rebounding in four of the last 14 seasons (2000, 2001, 2009, 2010), ranking in the Top 10 nine times and the Top 25 on 12 occasions. MSU has led the Big Ten in rebounding margin in conference games in 11 of the last 16 years. In the Tom Izzo era, MSU has out-rebounded 485 of 629 opponents (.771), posting a 385-100 (.794) mark in those games. Last season, the Spartans out-rebounded 32 of 36 opponents. This season, MSU owns a +6.3 rebounding margin, and has been out-rebounded in four of 12 contests.

Payne's Block Party
Senior Adreian Payne ranks second in Michigan State history with 126 career blocks, just eight behind MSU career leader Drew Naymick (134 blocks). Payne blocked a career-best five shots in the third round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament against Memphis, en route to 46 on the season, good for the sixth-best single-season effort in school history.

Returning Productivity
MSU returns six of its top seven scorers from last season, in featuring one of the nation's most experienced rosters to start the season. The Spartans return 84.2 percent of their scoring, 79.3 percent of their rebounding and 84.0 percent of their assists. Five returning Spartans started 15 or more games last season, including four with 24 or more starts. Six returners played 500 or more minutes last season. By comparison, entering last year, just five Spartans had played more than 350 minutes in their career.

Robertson Trophy Watch List
Senior forward Adreian Payne and sophomore guard Gary Harris are two of 15 players named to the 2013-14 Oscar Robertson Trophy Preseason Watch List. The preseason watch list was selected by the board of directors of the United States Basketball Writers Association. Michigan State is the only school with two players on the list of 15. The award will be presented to the national player of the year by its namesake at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 14, 2014 in Oklahoma City. The Big Ten leads all conference with four candidates as Ohio State's Aaron Craft and Michigan's Mitch McGary are also on the list.

MSU In The Rankings
The Spartans are currently ranked No. 5 in both the USA Today Coaches' Poll and the Associated Press Top 25. Five Spartan opponents are also ranked in at least one of the polls, including Ohio State (3 AP/t-2 USA Today), Wisconsin (4/6), Kentucky (18/18), North Carolina (19/19), Iowa (22/23).

Wooden And Naismith Award Watch ListsKeith Appling, Gary Harris and Adreian Payne have each earned a spot on the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 list. The Spartans are one of four schools to have at least three players on the list. The Big Ten leads all conferences with 10 players on the list of 50. The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the midseason list and the official voting ballot, which will consist of approximately 20 top players who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The Wooden Award All American Team, consisting of the nation's top 10 players, will be announced the week of the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament. Harris and Payne have also been named to the Naismith Trophy Early Season Watch List.

Cousy Award Watch List
Senior Keith Appling is one of 47 players on the watch list of candidates for the 2014 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award. The annual honor, named for Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, recognizes the top point guards in men's college basketball. This watch list of candidates will be narrowed down to a final 20 in early February, then final five by early March. The Cousy Award winner will be
presented the award on Championship Monday in Dallas at the Hall of Fame's Class of 2014 Announcement and Press Conference.

1,000 Point Scorers
Last season, Keith Appling became the 43rd player in Michigan State history to record 1,000 career points, and just the 29th player to reach the milestone in three seasons. With 1,309 career points, he ranks 24th in MSU career scoring, five points behind Durrell Summers (1,314 points) and 68 behind Julius McCoy (1,377 points). With 939 points, Adreian Payne is on pace to become the next Spartan to reach 1,000 career points.

The Fifth Starter
Most of Michigan State's starting lineup is pretty-much etched in stone as Keith Appling, Gary Harris, Branden Dawson and Adreian Payne all return from the 2012-13 starting lineup. But the fifth spot is a little bit more unsettled. Sophomore Matt Costello has been the starter in six games, but redshirt junior Alex Gauna and Gavin Schilling are also in contention for the spot. The trio is averaging a combined 7.9 points and 7.4 rebounds.

MSU At No. 1
Earlier this season, Michigan State held the No. 1 spot in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls for three straight weeks for the first time in school history. Although the Spartans have been ranked in the Top 10 in 15 of Tom Izzo's 19 seasons, and the Top 5 in 11 seasons, this was just the second season under Coach Izzo, and just the third time in school history that MSU has held the top spot in the AP Top 25, having previously been ranked No. 1 for two weeks in both 1978-79 and 2000-01. The Spartans have an all-time record of 9-4 at No. 1.

Big Ten Strength
Once again, the Big Ten will make a strong claim as the toughest conference in college basketball, an honor bestowed on it by ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman on Nov. 5. Five conference teams are currently ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll, including No. 3 Ohio State, No. 5 Michigan State, No. 6 Wisconsin, and No. 23 Iowa. Last season, seven of the 12 league teams participated in the NCAA Tournament, with a total of nine in postseason play.

Conference Favorites
Michigan State was announced as a unanimous preseason favorite for the conference championship at Big Ten Media Day in Chicago on Oct. 31. Michigan was picked to finish second and Ohio State was third. Spartan sophomore Gary Harris was tabbed the preseason player of the year, and senior Adreian Payne joined Harris on the preseason All-Big Ten squad.

Spartan Freshmen
Michigan State could feature as many as three freshmen in its playing group, including red-shirt freshman Kenny Kaminski, and true freshmen Alvin Ellis III and Gavin Schilling. Kaminski redshirted last season following a shoulder injury he suffered last fall. He provides a big man with excellent shooting ability for the Spartans. Ellis III and Schilling were actually prep teammates as juniors at Chicago De La Salle High School before Schilling transferred to Findlay Prep in Nevada for his senior season. Ellis III provides a solid all-around presence on the perimeter, while Schilling provides great strength and quickness in the post. Both Ellis III and Schilling were added during the spring signing period in 2013.

THE BOOK ON Tom IzzoCoach Izzo
In his 19th year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 450-179 (.715), and 209-95 (.688) in the Big Ten, as the coach of the Michigan State basketball program. He ranks as the winningest coach in Michigan State history, having passed his mentor Jud Heathcote with his 341st career victory on Nov. 28, 2009. In his 18 seasons as a head coach, Izzo has captured eight National Coach of the Year awards, including the Clair Bee Award in 2005 and NABC honors in 2001 and 2012. In 1999, Izzo was named National Coach of the year by Basketball Times, while earning similar honors from The Associated Press, Basketball News and the USBWA in '98. He also earned National Coach of the Year accolades from CBSSports.com in 2012. He earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 1998, 2009 and 2012.

Among The Big Ten's BestTom Izzo's .688 winning percentage in Big Ten games ranks third all-time among league coaches with at least 10 years of service, behind Wisconsin's Bo Ryan (.706), and former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700), and ahead of former Purdue coach Ward Lambert (.685). In all games, Knight ranks first at .734, followed by Ryan (.729), Izzo (.715), Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), and Lambert (.709). With 209 conference victories, Izzo ranks sixth all-time.

Izzo Among Best Ever
Through his first 18 seasons, Tom Izzo won 439 games, ranking fourth in college basketball history for most wins by a college coach in his first 18 years.

Izzo's Coaching Tree
Five current Division I head coaches all served as assistants to Tom Izzo, including Tom Crean (Indiana), Brian Gregory (Georgia Tech), Stan Heath (South Florida), Mark Montgomery (Northern Illinois) and Doug Wojcik (College of Charleston). Mike Garland served as head coach at Cleveland State for three seasons and Stan Joplin, an assistant during Izzo's first season, spent 12 seasons as head coach at Toledo. Jim Boylen was head coach at Utah for four years.